Spray apparatus



Jan. 30, 1940. F. F. I lNbsTAEDT SPRAY APPARATUS Filed Sept. 15, 1936 Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPRAY APPARATUS I Frank F. Lindstaedt, Oakland, Calif. Application September 15, 1936, Serial No. 100,836

- 9 Claims.

The invention relates to spray apparatus and particularly to small sized horticultural sprayers of the type customarily used for spraying gardens, lawns and the like.

The class of horticultural sprayers to which the device of the present invention is related utilizes generally, a concentrated spray liquid or other material which isv distributed over a relatively large expanse by means of a carrier fluid, such as water, air or the like. In accordance with the present arrangement, I prefer to use, as a carrier fluid, a source of water under pressure, such as that obtainable from city mains or other sources by way of a common type of garden hose. However, the available pressure from such mains varies widely for different cities and different lo- I cations in certain cities and this non-uniformity of pressures has heretofore been a source of considerable difficulty in a sprayer of the character described for the reason that the output characteristics of the sprayer were. directly affected by the pressure of the carrier fluid, and non uniform results from a standard type sprayer could be expected. In accordance with the present inven` tion, however, and as a principal object thereof, I have provided in a sprayer of the type described, one which will automatically regulate the fluid flow through the apparatus for 4various pressures whereby a substantially constant and uniform discharge of spray material may be obtained, regardless of the applied `pressure throughout a wide range of pressures.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spray apparatus of the character described, Which will also provide a constant proportion or density of spray material in the carrier fluid' for all normallyapplied carrier fluid pressures, and wherein this relative proportion of spray material to carrier fluid may be precisely adjusted as desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a spray apparatus of the character described, which may be readily adjusted to control the distribution or spread and physical consistency of the sprayer discharge from a localized substantially solid jet or pencil to a finely scattered and widely distributed mist.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a spray apparatus of the character described, which may be adapted for use with a wide range of spray materials, including liquids of various weights and viscosities and alsocoarser materials, such as solid and semi-solid particles in liquid suspension and the like.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forthin the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be un- 5 derstood, however, that variations in the showing made by said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to saidy drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a spray apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown operatively connected to a garden hose and a container for spray material.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the spray 15 apparatus illustrated in Figure 1. i

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View of the sprayer and is taken substantially on the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view simi- 20 lar to Figure 2 and showing the operation of part of the sprayer mechanism.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of one of the parts of the spray apparatus.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form 25 of another part of the spray apparatus.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view 'of a modified construction of a part of the spray apparatus.

Figure 8 is an elevation view of still another modified form of the invention.

The' spray apparatus of the present invention, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a lbody 8, preferably of metal or other material suitable for casting, andgwhich forms a sprayer head and is provided with threaded sockets or receiving portions 9 and I I, the socket 9 being adapted for receipt of an end I2 of a garden hose I3 or other conduit leading from a source of spray carrier fluid under pressure, and the socket I I being adapted to receive a threaded open neck portion I4 of a bottle I6 or other container for spray material. Leading from the socket 9 is a passage I1 which extends `to an opposite side I8 of the sprayer head to discharge the carrier uid, while the spray material may flow from the socket II by way of a passage I9 which intersects the passage I8 at the low pressure side of an enlargement or venturi 2I in the passage Il.

Normally, and as will be understood, the rate of discharge of carrier uid and spray material will depend on the size of the several passages, I the character of the fluids, and particularly upon the pressure of the carrier fluid source. With all 55 other factors constant, tle flow of fluid through the ldevice would tend tovary with the applied pressure, being great with high pressures and small with lower pressures. In the typeof ap paratus as herevdisclosedj where the sprayernis adapted for use with a source of water derived from the city mains, this change of sprayer output with variations of pressure has heretofore presented a serious problem, as the water pressure in different cities and different locations in certain cities and even at the same location at different times of the day, varies over wide ranges from to 150 pounds per square inch. Such a pressure variation and the heretofore attending variations in the flow and proportions of the carrier uid and the spray material, and the character of the spray mixture and consistency, have made the manufacture of a standard unit for universal use substantially impossible. As a particularly important feature of the present apparatus and as hereinbeforenoted, there is provided means vfor automatically controlling the fluid flow through the apparatus and which is so responsive to the applied pressure as to maintain such fiow substantially constant for all usual pressure variations.

This means consists of a compressible body 22,

V such as rubberror the like, which is formed with alignment with the passage I1. Thus, under the influence of high pressures in the receptacle 9 the member22 will be compressed, as illustrated in Figure 4to constrict the passage-way 23 and thereby prevent an increased uid ow through thispassage and, on the other hand, with a decrease in fluid pressure the passage 23 will be open to relieve the ow therethrough. In this manner a spray apparatus may be used with water mains having a great variance in pressure and yet provide for a constant discharge of Water through the spray apparatus regardless of such pressure within the Wide ranges hereinabove indicated. Preferably, the passage 23 in the compressible member 22 is of a slightly smaller .diameter than the portion 21 ofthe passage I1 lying between the enlargement 26 and the venturi 2| so as to insure a centralized injection Vo1" the'fluid from the passage 23 into the passage portion 21 and the venturi 2|. screen 30 may be mounted at the base of the receptacle 9 for straining the carrier fluid.

In addition `to maintaining a constant carrier fluid flow for all normally applied pressures, means are also provided for insuring a constant discharge of spray concentrate and maintenance i' of a constant and uniform spray concentration in the' carrieruid for all normallyapplied pres- Y sures.V To accomplish this latter function, the

reducedY pressureV established at the venturi 2I- and which normally varies with the applied pressure and the velocity and size of the jet issuing from the passage portion 21, is prevented from affecting the rate of flow of spray liquid or concentratethrough the passage I9 and into the venturi 2i. As will be seen from Figures 1 to 3,

If desired a' the body 8 is provided with a transverse air passage 28 which extends to the opposite sides 29 and 3I and is communicated to the atmosphere thereat and intersects at a mid-portion the spray material passage I9 whereby a quantity of air may be drawn through the passage 28 and into the passage I9 to satisfy the reduced pressure created in the lower portion in this passage by the venturi 2I. Not only does this air remove the effect of the reduced pressure at the venturi from stimulating the flow of spray material, but when introduced in the spray material and the water carrier has a beneficial agitating and emulsifying effect.

In accordance with the present arrangement the flow of sprayrliquid from the container I6 and the receptacle II into the passage I9 and venturi 2|, is effected bya gravitation of spray material from the container and by a hydrostatic head established by the introduction of air into the container at an elevation above the entry of the passage I9 into the receptacle II. This latter air introduction to the container is eected by way of a passage 32 formed in an up-standing wall 33 in the receptacle II, and which passage is communicatedv at its lower end to the atmosphere and at its upper end to the container at the top-side of the wall 33. It will thus be seen, with particular reference to Figure 3 that with the air passage 32 connected in the container at a higher elevation than the passage I9, a hydrostatic pressure Yhead in favor of the passage I9 is established and which produces a ow of spray liquid into the passage I9 depending upon the relative difference in height and also the relative size of the passages. To establish a proper of spray liquid I prefer to form a passage 32 at its upper end with a reduced port 36 leading into the container, which I have found sufficient to off-set the larger liquid passage I9.

It will now be seen that by controlling the size of the transverse air passage 28 the pressure in the liquid passage I9 may be, readily controlled and the effect of the vacuum at the venturi on ther spray liquid flow varied as desired. Preferably, the size of transverse passage 28 is such that the pressure in the passage I9 will be raised to substantially atmospheric, whereby -the iiow of the spray liquid will be controlled substantially exclusively by the aforesaid hydrostatic pressure. In this manner with the flow of the carrier uid ,balance between the intake of air and discharge accurately and constantly maintained by the'* compressible pressure regulator 22, and the spray liquid Vflow fixed by the aforesaid hydrostatic head, a constant and unvarying discharge of spray material and carrier is obtained, together with a uniform proportion of spray material to carrier uid regardless of variations in the applied pressure of the carrier fiuid.

Preferably there is provided in the present spray apparatus, a means for breaking up the more or,less solid stream ejected from the discharge end of passage I 1 so as to produce a better spread and more effective application of the spray. As here shown, there is mounted on the body 8 by way of an off-set portion 31, a spray deector means 38 which may be manually displaced into and from the stream issuing from the discharge orifice of the body and which may also be selectively positioned with regard to the stream so as to control the distribution and consistency Y of such stream. The means 38 is preferably formed of a' cylindrical member 39 which is mounted in a. bore 4I in the off-set 31 in angular relation to the axis of the discharge passage H whereby the member 39 may be either reciprocated to and from the stream or rotated relative thereto to vary the effect of the member on the stream. The outer end 42 of the deflector member is preferably flattened and angularly disposed relative to the axis of the member 39 whereby with the deiiector member fixed and in one ro- L tially entirely eliminates all dripping of thespray" from the deflector member-due, in part, to the surface contour produced between the cylindrical and flattened portions which'produces on passage of the dischargev stream thereover a sufciently reduced pressure about the exposed sides of the member to constantly draw air over such into the cylindrical stream issuing from the' sprayer and with the deflector end inclined to the axis of the stream that. an extremely ne s break-up of the spray is effected and a semi-mist produced. The subject matter of the deflector has been more fully described and specifically claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 249,212, filed January 4, 1939.

In Figures 5 and 7 I have shown modifications in the construction of the compressible regulator which forms are particularly adapted for .handling of a spray material of a coarser consistency than in the first embodiment. In Figure 5 the passage 23' through the' compressiblemember 22' is tapered from its opposite ends towards an intermediate portion. In Figure "Iy an enlarged agitating or turbulencebhamber 43 is 'formed in the body 8' ahead of the pressure regulator 22 and a divertor 44 is positioned at the discharge end of passage 23" in the member 22" for'guiding the uid passing through said passage into chamber ,43 and away from direct communication with the discharge passage 21 in the body vIn Figure 8 I have illustrated a means for "adjustably controlling Ithe hydrostatic `head in l the spray liquid container whereby the discharge of spray liquid may be precisely controlled over wide limits. As here illustrated, this means consists of a screw 46 having an axial air passage 41 therethrough and which is threadably carried in the body 8 with the head end 48 of the screw exposed to the atmosphere and readily accessible for turning and the opposite end 49 of the screw extended into the receptacle Il for insertion into the open end of the liquid container. By

this arrangement, the screw 46 may be rotated to dispose the end 49 at the same elevation as.y the entry of the passage I9 into the receptacle Il whereby no ow of liquid will result, or the same may be rotated to any desired elevationA In `operating the present spray apparatus the receptacles 9 and Il are connected to a garden hose or the like, and a bottle or other container I6 of spray material. After the Water force has been turned on the operator will, normally, carry the sprayer in av position inverted from that shown in the drawing to dispose the container of spray liquid right-side up and below the sprayer head so that only water will pass through the 'spray apparatus. When the operator has moved the apparatus into a position for spraying, the apparatus is `inverted in a position, as illustrated in the drawing, with the open side of the container down whereby the spray liquid will be fed into the water carrier stream and entrained thereby in proper concentration.

I claim:

1. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having a passage adapted for connection to a source of fluid under pressure and a second passage adapted for connection to a source of spray material` and opening to said first passage for env training spray material with said fluid, a compressible rubber member mounted in said rst passage and having a passage therethrough in registration with said passage and compressible under the applied pressure of said first source to vary the size of the passage therein inversely to the applied pressure to maintain substantially constant the flow through said passages for various applied pressures, said passage in said. rubber member being taperedfrom adjacent the opposite ends thereof to an intermediate portion' thereof.

2. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having a passage therethrough adapted for connection with thesource of spray carrier fluid under pressure, a spray liquid container mounted on said body above said passage. an air and liquid passage means extending from the atmosphere and said` flrst passage respectively into said container, one of said passage means being ad- ,instable to position the end thereof in said container at various elevations relative to the end of said other named passage means to regulate the discharge of the spray liquid from said container into said/liquid passage means.

3. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having inlet passages for a spray liquid concentrate nd a spray carrier liquid under pressure and a discharge passage fory spraying said liquids in mixed form, and variable aperture means responsive to the pressure of the spray carrier liquid operative to provide a constant volume of spray carrier liquid,'and Imeans supplying constant proportional discharge of spray liquid con- Acentrate at different applied pressures of said for different applied pressures pf said carrier liquid, and means for supplying air to the inlet passageof the spray liquid concentrate for causing a substantially constant iiow of said concentrate into said discharge passage for diierent liquid pressures therein.

5. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having an inlet passage for a spray carrier liquid under pressure, a compressible member mounted in said passage and having a passageway therethrough and being responsive to the pressure of said liquid to regulate the area. of said passageway inversely to the applied pressure to unify the liquid now through said passage for various applied pressures, said passageway being normally compressed smaller than said passage so as to provide a reduced pressure'at the discharge end of said passageway, and an inlet passage for spray liquid communicated to said first passage at the discharge end of said passageway.

6. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having an' inlet passage 'for a spray carrier uid under pressure and a discharge passage connected thereto, a socket for the open neck of a bottle containing spray liquid, said body having third and fourth passages formed in integral walls of said socket and opening into said socket, said third passage being of substantially capillary dimension and said fourth passage being many times larger in cross-sectional area, said fourth passage extending from said socket towards said discharge passage, a fifth passage of reduced area connecting said fourth passage to said discharge passage, said third passage being open at its outer end to the atmosphere and opening to the interior of said socket at an elevation above said fifth passage in an upright position of said socket and fourth passage, and a sixth passage communieating said fifth passage to the atmosphere 7. A spray apparatus comprising, a body having an inlet passage for a spray carrier fluid under pressure and a discharge passage connected thereto and of greater cross-sectional area to produce a reduced pressure in said discharge passage at said inlet passage, a socket for the receipt of the open neck end of a bottle containing spray liquid, said body having third and fourth passages formed in integral walls of said socket and opening into said socket, said third passage being of substantially capillary dimension in cross-sectional area and said fourth passage being many times larger in cross-sectional area, said fourth passage extending from said socket towards said discharge passage, a fth passage of an area reduced from said fourth passage and connected thereto and to said discharge passage adjacent said inlet passage, said third passage being open at its outer end to the atmosphere and opening into the interior of said socket at an elevation above the discharge end of said fourth passage in upright position of said socket and fourth passage, and a sixth passage connected to said fifth passage adjacent said fourth passage and vented to the atmosphere so as to establish substantially atmospheric pressure at the discharge end of said fourth passage whereby the rate of spray liquid flow will be dependent substantially entirely upon the ksocket and opening into said socket, said third passage being of substantially capillary dimension-in cross-sectional area and said fourth pas-` sage being many times larger in cross-sectional area, said fourth passage extending from said socket towards said discharge passage, a fifth Passage of an area reduced from said fourth passage and connected thereto and to said discharge passage adjacent said inlet passage, said third passage being open at its outer end to' the atmosphere and opening into the interior of said socket at an elevation above the discharge end of said fourth passage in upright position of said socket and fourth passage, a sixth passage connected to said fifth passage adjacent said fourth passage and vented to the atmosphere so as. to establish substantially atmospheric pressure at the discharge end of said fourth passage whereby the rate of spray liquid fiow will be dependent substantially entirely upon the difference in elevation of third and fourth passages in the interior of the bottle, and means mounted in said inlet passage and responsive to the applied carrier uid pressure to maintain a substantially,

constant flow of carrier fluid for various applied pressures.

9. A spray apparatus comprising a body having an inlet passage f or spray carried fluid under pressure and a discharge passage connected thereto, a, receiving chamber in said body for spray liquid, said body having third and fourth passages formed in integral Walls of said chamber and opening into said chamber, said third passage being of substantially capillary dimension and said fourth passage being many times larger in cross sectional area, said fourth passage being communicated with said discharge passage, passage reducing means in said fourth passage spaced from said chamber, said third passagebeing open at its outer end to the atmosphere and opening into the interior of said chamber at an elevation above said passage reducing means in an upright position of said fourth passage, and a-passage communicating said fourth passage to the atmosphere intermediate said passage reducing means and said discharge passage.

FRANK F. ILINDSTAEDT. 

